Published March 5, 2007
First, we heard the bizarre, James-Brown-like, "I-feel-good"
announcement by Fidel Castro as he surprised audiences by calling in to
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez's radio talk show last week. Then, a
Cuban official started a rumor that the ailing dictator might return to
work soon -- nothing definite, of course.
Is all this part of a bad nightmare? Has the crusty caudillo found a
10th or 11th life? Or, are we witnessing the last gasps of one of the
most persistent, pervasive propaganda machines in history?
Perhaps all of the above.
I initially had considered writing about another slice of the
never-ending Iraq saga this week. Then I heard from two readers, one who
said he disagrees with everything I have written on that topic, and
another who enthused about how much he enjoys every piece I have written
about Cuba.
Well, I decided to make both of them happy.
Castro and his revolution have hung over my entire life. One of my
earliest recollections is of his bearded visage amid discussions of
troubles involving Cuba and the former Soviet Union. "What a frightening
man," I thought in my childish innocence.
With the passage of time, as well as the gaining of education and
experience -- during which I listened to multiple accounts of benefits
that Castro has brought Cuban society, particularly in the area of
health -- I revisited my earlier thoughts and arrived at this revised
conclusion: What a frightening, egotistical, repressive and disruptive man.
Even if Cuba has enjoyed certain successes under Castro -- which I
readily acknowledge -- those cannot replace, make up for or rationalize
freedom lost.
That Castro has retained a consistently tight grip on Cubans' throats
while indulging his fanciful but failed ideology for all these decades
strikes me as both unfortunate and absurd. In addition, his rule insults
and stifles the creativity, capability and possibilities of Cuban society.
Although I generally wish ill upon few people, I draw no pleasure from
hearing that Castro feels good -- or that he is happy, as he cheerfully
shared with Chavez. I honestly do not care for him to return to work.
What I really desire is for him to fade away as quickly as possible --
and to take his anemic, artificially propped-up system with him.
The time is coming.
Recently, I wrote about a "perfect storm" for Cuba, a confluence of
catastrophic natural events -- such as a mega-hurricane -- economic
shifts and political turns that would spawn a much-needed tidal wave of
change across the island. Although I did not specifically ask for
readers' input, they responded by the hundreds. In fact, quite a few
people have stopped me on the street and in airports to say how the
"perfect storm" scenario fits into their own dreams.
It cannot happen fast enough.
Despite all the talk that Raul Castro, Fidel's sibling, would serve as a
catalyst for positive change, the most visible aspect of his time at the
helm has been the donning of an iron glove. Various reports indicate
that repression is on the rise under brother dearest. To me, that
suggests he is consolidating his control, not preparing for a Cuban spring.
But such tactics will not gain Raul much time. When the right moment
comes -- ideally immediately following a "perfect storm" -- Cubans will
rise. That is the kind of regime change that I would like to see, one
from within.
Fidel certainly knows his people's potential. After all, he inspired
them to action during his revolution, albeit under false pretenses that
eventually evaporated to reveal his communistic ambitions.
But I would urge him to think back even further, to his failed first
attempt to seize power. On trial for that insurrection, he famously
said, "La historia me absolvera" -- history will absolve me.
Sorry, but no. Despite his attempts to create the illusion of
absolution, Fidel will receive a judgment from history that mirrors the
harshness of his rule.
Foreign-affairs columnist John C. Bersia, who works part-time for the
Sentinel, is the special assistant to the president for global
perspectives at the University of Central Florida. He can be reached at
jbersia@orlandosentinel.com.
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